[Sport] Brazilian Carol Solberg, "warned" by her cry of "out Bolsonaro" on television

[#Steeven.™]

Brazilian beach volleyball player Carol Solberg received a "warning" on Tuesday for her protest against President Jair Bolsonaro in a competition, when she was tried by the Superior Court of Volleyball Sports Justice, which refrained from suspending her for up to six games.

Solberg was subjected to a controversial trial in the court of the Brazilian Volleyball Confederation for having shouted "Bolsonaro out" when giving an interview to television after winning the bronze medal in the first stage of the Brazilian Circuit of Beach volleyball.

The court, which tried her for alleged conduct against sports discipline and ethics, could have fined her up to 100,000 reais (about $ 18,180) and a suspension of up to six games if found guilty.

However, amid protests by some sports leaders against what they considered censorship against an athlete for her political opinions, the court limited itself to imposing a fine of 1,000 reais (about $ 181.8), which it finally turned into a "warning" public.

The symbolic sanction was imposed by three votes in favor and two against the members of the First Disciplinary Commission of the Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) of Volleyball.

The judges found her guilty of a violation of article 191 of the Brazilian Code of Sports Justice, which provides sanctions for athletes who violate the rules of a competition, but they acquitted her of the charges of violation of article 258 of the same code, which typifies "conduct contrary to discipline and sports ethics ".

The judges, however, warned Solberg that she cannot again express her political views on the courts. "It was a slap on the wrist. A warning. If she relapses, she can be punished more severely," summarized the president of the First Disciplinary Commission, Otacilio Araújo.

"You cannot go to the field to demonstrate in a political or religious way. The athlete can say what she wants in her social networks but not in an official competition," added Araújo.

The judges took into account the statement of the prosecutor in the case, Wagner Dantas, who had initially requested the maximum sanction and in the virtual trial this Tuesday he retracted and asked for a warning that can "serve as an alert so that other athletes do not repeat the behavior ".

In favor of the athlete's right to freedom of expression, the president of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), Felipe Santa Cruz, to the president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB), Paulo Wanderley, spoke out before the trial.

Solberg, who competes on national and international circuits as a companion to world champion (2013) Talita Antunes da Rocha, defended her innocence in a message she posted on social media before the trial and in which she said she was not sorry for her behavior. .

"After the competition, I could not stop thinking about what is happening in Brazil with the fires in the Amazon and the deaths from COVID-19 and I let out a totally spontaneous cry of indignation," he said.

"I am not sorry, because I only exercised my right to freedom of expression. I did not violate any law," he added.

Solberg recalled the cases of other volleyball players who have made demonstrations in favor of Bolsonaro in competitions and have not been tried for their behavior.

She added that any suspension, in addition to being unfair, would be detrimental to her career. "Just one sanction match would be terrible. In a pandemic year the World Tour was totally canceled and we only had four (national) tournaments. A sanction would also harm my partner, the technicians and the assistants," he said.

The court's decision, therefore, enables her to contest the second stage of the Brazilian Circuit, which begins next Thursday in Saquarema, a municipality on the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Solberg, 33, was South American champion in 2002 alongside her sister María Clara, with whom she was also runner-up on the World Tour in 2013 and Brazilian runner-up in 2007 and 2015.

As Maria Elisa's partner, she was the Brazilian champion in 2018, when she was chosen as the best player on the National Circuit.